Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday he would have voted for the health care reform bill, committing an apparent flip-flop that he moved swiftly to correct, sending out a statement soon afterward clarifying his opposition to the controversial legislation.

In an interview on Central Florida News, the former Republican-turned-independent U.S. Senate candidate said he would have voted for President Obama’s signature domestic achievement.

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POLITICO 44

“I would’ve voted for it but I think it can be done better,” Crist said.

Both of Crist’s opponents, Republican nominee Marco Rubio and Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek, quickly seized on the statement as the latest – if not most jarring – position switch of the governor’s campaign.

“Breaking: Governor Crist Diagnosed With Political Amnesia,” blared a release sent out by Meek.

“Getting Absurd: Crist Takes 5th Position on Obamacare,” Rubio adviser Todd Harris wrote in an e-mail.

Crist, who outlined his opposition to Obama’s health care plan on his own campaign website in July, quickly issued a statement, saying the interview he gave was not a flip but a slip.

"Apparently, based on an interview this afternoon, there may be some confusion regarding my position on health care. If I misspoke, I want to be abundantly clear: the health care bill was too big, too expensive, and expanded the role of government far too much. Had I been in the United States Senate at the time, I would have voted against the bill because of unacceptable provisions like the cuts to the Medicare Advantage program,” Crist said.

He also said that despite serious flaws, the legislation does have positive aspects and that wholesale repeal would not be responsible.

“Repeal without passage of a substitute law protecting those with pre-existing conditions, closing the prescription drug donut hole for seniors, and allowing parents to keep their children on their insurance coverage until age 26 would be wrong. While I would not have supported the legislation, we have to recognize the positive components and work together across party lines to make our health care system more affordable for both consumers and the government,” Crist said.

But back in March – when he was still campaigning as a Republican – Crist signaled he would pursue repeal as a senator.

“What people really want when it comes to health care, in my view, is they want greater access and less cost. We just need to get it right and do it right,” Crist told the Associated Press.

Rubio’s campaign dubbed Crist’s switch Friday as his “fifth and then sixth position” on the health care law. The Meek campaign, which has been forwarding Crist’s past statements to reporters all week, pointed out the governor’s March letter to the congressman, urging him to “vote no on the Democrat health care bill.”

While Meek and Rubio are opposed ideologically, they appear to both be eager to poke holes in Crist’s credibility by hitting him for political expediency – from both sides.

Typical Charlie Crist. He always has a rebuttal to his own statement. As the Indians say in the western movies, man speak with forked tongue. He's hoping this will get him votes from BOTH the left and the right. He's one of a kind!

While Meek and Rubio are opposed ideologically, they appear to both be eager to poke holes in Crist’s credibility by hitting him for political expediency – from both sides.

Crist's problem is that Meek is trying to win, and understands full well that more Crist voters will go to him than to Rubio if Crist can be marginalized.

Latest Rasmussen poll released just yesterday had Rubio at 40%, Crist at 31%, and Meek at 21% [meaning about 8% were undecided].

Meek knows he won't bleed many of those votes from Rubio's tally. His hope is that he can get the center-left out of Crist, AND that Crist can peel away enough from Rubio to get Meek's nose in front come November.

It the Dem party does the honorable thing [and that's a crapshoot] and gives Meek the usual support they would any of their Senate candidates [well...maybe not that guy in SC :) ], then it is possible that Crist will finish 3rd in this thing.

Florida... you have a choice. Start voting in people who have the country's best interests at heart, or continue voting in a bunch of self indulgent, narcissists that could care less. Crist and Grayson are big talkers but the country needs more than big mouths to get us out of the mess we are in.

You have a chance to help make a difference. Give Crist, Grayson and Washington a very clear message... the people have had enough. We're not going to take anymore.

Remember... in November, don't vote to send Flipper Crist to Washington. Send him to Sea World instead.

Crist is sickening. Anyone who abandons his party only because he lost has zero character. These dispicable moderates who have no positions on anything other than what will get votes. Its about time people began to see through this phony

I can't stand to even look at Crist's picture anymore, he is the epitome of everything that's wrong with the political process in this country, and I hope he finishes way, way back in third place. Debate with him will be easy for Rubio and Meek, just keep asking him which position he has on the day of the debate, most likely different from the one he held the week before. What scum.

Crist is toast. Rubio is up an average of 10 points now in the polls, a 17 point gain in just a few weeks. That translates into a double digit win for Rubio in Nov. Rubio is going to be one of the finest young new Senators to bring about real change in DC. I am not talking about the fake change for dummies that Obama touted.

Charlie changes his positions so rapidly, not only can we follow his current beliefs, but neither can he. He will say and do anything to get elected, but what he does afterward is anyone’s guess. A vote for Crist is a vote for the current dysfunctional status quo of government by daily polling. Term Limits may not stop two faced demagogues like Reid, McCain, et al from getting elected, but it will limit them to 2 terms and make the flip flopper professional politician extinct.

Charlie will say WHATEVER he thinks you want to hear. He's a LOT like Bill Clinton--minus the left-wing core beliefs and a stained blue dress. He has NO core beliefs other than the relelntless pursuit of power. Charlie is a political whore, and most of us in FL realize that.

Charlie will say WHATEVER he thinks you want to hear. He's a LOT like Bill Clinton--minus the left-wing core beliefs and a stained blue dress. He has NO core beliefs other than the relelntless pursuit of power. Charlie is a political whore, and most of us in FL realize that.